Meal Plan at a Glance<\/p>\n
BREAKFAST\/ A.M. SNACK
\nLUNCH\/ P.M. SNACK
\nDINNER<\/p>\n
Oatmeal & blackberries\/ Energy bites
\nCucumber sandwich & orange\/ Almonds
\nSalmon & pasta<\/p>\n
Egg bites & smoothie\/Yogurt & raspberries
\nBean soup & pear\/ Energy bites
\nChopped salad<\/p>\n
Oatmeal & blackberries\/ Energy bites
\nBean soup & kefir\/ Yogurt & blueberries
\nStuffed peppers<\/p>\n
Egg bites, orange & kefir\/ Yogurt & raspberries
\nBean soup & banana\/ Energy bites
\nVeggie fajitas<\/p>\n
Oatmeal & blackberries\/ Almonds
\nBean soup & kefir\/ Yogurt & blueberries
\nWhite bean & sun-dried tomato orzo<\/p>\n
Egg bites & smoothie\/ Yogurt & raspberries
\nWhite bean & sun-dried tomato orzo\/ Orange
\nShrimp tacos & slaw<\/p>\n
Oatmeal & blackberries\/ Peach
\nWhite bean & sun-dried tomato orzo\/ Orange
\nRoasted chicken & Chopped salad<\/p>\n
Day 1 <\/p>\n
Cucumber Salad Sandwich.
\nPhotographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle<\/p>\n
Breakfast (361 calories)\u00a0
\n 1\/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (dry), prepared with water1\/2 cup blackberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds2 Tbsp. chia seeds<\/p>\n
Morning Snack (144 calories) <\/p>\n
Lunch (354 calories) <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (206 calories)
\n \u00bc cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds<\/p>\n
Dinner (450 calories) <\/p>\n
Daily Totals: 1,516 calories, 69g fat, 10g saturated fat, 65g protein, 179g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 1,121mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup nonfat plain kefir to breakfast, add one (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt with 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds to A.M. snack, add 1\/2 cup blueberries to P.M. snack and add 1 serving Traditional Greek Salad<\/a> to dinner.<\/p>\n Day 2 <\/p>\n Copycat Starbucks Spinach & Mushroom Egg Bites. Breakfast (375 calories) <\/p>\n Morning Snack (199 calories) Lunch (358 calories) <\/p>\n Afternoon Snack (144 calories) <\/p>\n Dinner (424 calories) <\/p>\n Daily Totals: 1,500 calories, 62g fat, 12g saturated fat, 87g protein, 164g carbohydrate, 42g fiber, 1,310mg sodium\n<\/p>\n To make it 2,000 calories: Substitute 1 serving Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie<\/a> for the Berry & Flax Smoothie<\/a> at breakfast, add \u00bc cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack and add 1 serving No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies<\/a> as an evening snack.\n<\/p>\n Day 3 <\/p>\n Spiced Couscous-Stuffed Peppers.<\/p>\n Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n Breakfast (361 calories)\u00a0 Morning Snack (192 calories) <\/p>\n Lunch (347 calories) <\/p>\n Afternoon Snack (110 calories) Dinner (489 calories) <\/p>\n Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 58g fat, 10g saturated fat, 71g protein, 195g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 1,144mg sodium\n<\/p>\n To make it 2,000 calories: Add one (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt to A.M. snack, increase to \u00bd cup blueberries and add \u00bc cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack and add 1 serving No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies<\/a> as an evening snack.\n<\/p>\n Day 4 <\/p>\n 20-Minute White Bean Soup.<\/p>\n Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley<\/p>\n Breakfast (311 calories) <\/p>\n Morning Snack (199 calories) Lunch (362 calories) <\/p>\n Afternoon Snack (192 calories) <\/p>\n Dinner (427 calories) <\/p>\n Daily Totals: 1,490 calories, 54g fat, 12g saturated fat, 73g protein, 197g carbohydrate, 45g fiber, 1,287mg sodium\n<\/p>\n To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to lunch, add 1\/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack and add 1 medium apple as an evening snack.<\/p>\n Day 5 <\/p>\n One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta.<\/p>\n Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless<\/p>\n Breakfast (361 calories)\u00a0 Morning Snack (206 calories) Lunch (347 calories) <\/p>\n Afternoon Snack (110 calories) Dinner (496 calories) <\/p>\n Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve two servings One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta<\/a> to have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.\n<\/p>\n Daily Totals: 1,520 calories, 65g fat, 8g saturated fat, 77g protein, 177g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 952mg sodium\n<\/p>\n To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie<\/a> to breakfast and add 1 serving No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies<\/a> as an evening snack.<\/p>\n Day 6 <\/p>\n Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema.<\/p>\n Breakfast (375 calories) <\/p>\n Morning Snack (199 calories) Lunch (496 calories) <\/p>\n Afternoon Snack (62 calories) <\/p>\n Dinner (388 calories) <\/p>\n Daily Totals: 1,518 calories, 70g fat, 10g saturated fat, 82g protein, 155g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 1,385mg sodium\n<\/p>\n To make it 2,000 calories: Substitute 1 serving Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie<\/a> for the Berry & Flax Smoothie<\/a> at breakfast, add \u00bc cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack and add 1 serving No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies<\/a> as an evening snack.<\/p>\n Day 7 <\/p>\n Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken.<\/p>\n Greg DuPree<\/p>\n Breakfast (361 calories)\u00a0 Morning Snack (59 calories) <\/p>\n Lunch (496 calories) <\/p>\n Afternoon Snack (62 calories) <\/p>\n Dinner (512 calories) <\/p>\n Daily Totals: 1,489 calories, 69g fat, 11g saturated fat, 67g protein, 163g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 1,396mg sodium\n<\/p>\n To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie<\/a> to breakfast and add 1 serving No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies<\/a> to P.M. snack.\n<\/p>\n Frequently Asked Questions<\/p>\n \u200b\u200bIs it OK to mix and match meals if there is one I do not like?\n<\/p>\n Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn\u2019t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check the calories, fiber, protein and sodium to align with the parameters of this plan and be within our sodium limits. If you\u2019re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, fiber, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious heart-healthy recipes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?\n<\/p>\n Definitely, it\u2019s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 360 to 375 calories while the lunches span 354 to 496 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you\u2019re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.<\/p>\n Why is there not a 1,200 calorie modification?\n<\/p>\n We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it\u2019s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.<\/p>\n How much sodium should I eat?\n<\/p>\n The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium to 2,300 mg per day. The American Heart Association also endorses a maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium per day, with an ideal goal of no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day, especially for people at risk of heart disease.<\/p>\n Added Sugars and Heart Health <\/p>\n While occasional sweet bites won\u2019t derail your heart health and can be part of a heart-healthy diet, many of us eat significantly more added sugars than we realize. In fact, the average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day, well above the American Heart Association\u2019s recommended daily max of 9 teaspoons for men and 6 for women. Research links an added sugar intake of 20% or more of total daily calories with an increased risk of stroke and adverse coronary events. Because added sugars<\/a> don\u2019t positively support heart health, we opted to skip them in this meal plan to save room for more nutrient-dense foods.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n How We Create Meal Plans<\/p>\n Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell\u2019s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and\/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.<\/p>\n Dig Deeper How to Cut Back on Sneaky Added Sugars<\/p>\n
\nJamie Vespa<\/p>\n
\n 1 (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt\u00bd cup raspberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds<\/p>\n
\n 1\/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (dry), prepared with water1\/2 cup blackberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds2 Tbsp. chia seeds<\/p>\n
\n 1 (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt1\/4 cup blueberries<\/p>\n
\n 1 (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt1\/2 cup raspberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds<\/p>\n
\n 1\/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (dry), prepared with water1\/2 cup blackberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds2 Tbsp. chia seeds<\/p>\n
\n 1\/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds<\/p>\n
\n 1 (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt1\/4 cup blueberries<\/p>\n
\n 1 (5.3-oz.) container nonfat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt1\/2 cup raspberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds<\/p>\n
\n 1\/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (dry), prepared with water1\/2 cup blackberries2 Tbsp. slivered almonds2 Tbsp. chia seeds<\/p>\n
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